SPRING 2021 for Ardot ROAD CREWS CONTENTS by DAVID NILLES
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WINTER STORMS A LOOK AT HOW BROADWAY BRIDGE No Match for Hazardous Materials Receives National ARDOT Crews Impact Transportation Recognition FRONT COVER: Interstate 430 Construction DIRECTOR'S Pulaski County MESSAGE BACK COVER: ARKANSAS STATE HIGHWAY Sylamore Scenic Byway Stone County COMMISSION Dear ARDOT Family, EDITOR LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THE WINTER David Nilles 2021 ISSUE. If you will remember, I ended [email protected] ROBERT S. MOORE, JR. my message with “We are going to knock STAFF WRITER Chairman it out of the park this year.” And, you all Britni Padilla-Dumas [email protected] Acertainly did just that! In February, Arkansas experienced a historic snow GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Paula Cigainero and ice event that lasted almost two weeks with a total [email protected] of 20 inches of snow and bitter cold temperatures. All Marrissa Miller of those involved in clearing the roads to make them [email protected] safe for the road users did a phenomenal job. I am so Lamarie Rutelonis proud of A DOT employees rising to the challenge [email protected] and showing the State what you are capable of doing. PHOTOGRAPHER DALTON A. FARMER, JR. A DOT’s employeesr are truly the backbone of our Rusty Hubbard Vice Chairman success. If you haven’t done so, check out this video [email protected] thatr our Public Information staff put together: vimeo. com/522929593. It is inspirational! In March, the COVID vaccine became available and, Correspondence should be directed to: as of April 26, everyone has returned to work on site. ARKANSAS HIGHWAYS Public Information Office During the last year, you all have done such a great job P.O. Box 2261 keeping everything going in spite of the challenges we Little Rock, AR 72203-2261 faced with COVID. Again, I am so proud of you all. The PHILIP TALDO Member phase of a remote work policy based on the lessons learnedadministration during theis working COVID pandemic.hard to put More together to come the onfirst that soon. In June, we are now facing a new challenge. The Interstate 40 Mississippi River Bridge between West Memphis and Memphis was closed due to a fracture in a critical beam that went undetected during the last several inspection cycles. The Arkansas Highways is published by and DOT and for employees of the Arkansas Department of howchallenge important is to figure our work out whereis to the the public. inspection We all process have a high fell short, calling correct as public it and servants win back with the the Transportation as a medium of departmental KEITH GIBSON responsibilitypublic’s confidence. of making This situationour roads emphasizes as safe as possible. how important I am so thankfuleach employee and proud is to ofAr your hard news and other information. It is also distributed Member free of charge to the public upon request. work to meet that responsibility. We will stand together united to address this newest challenge, learn from it and become better because of it. The Arkansas Department of Transportation (Department) I hope you and your families have a great summer with plenty of sunshine and fun. complies with all civil rights provisions of federal statutes and related authorities that prohibit discrimination in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. Therefore, the Department does not All my best, discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, age, national origin, religion (not applicable as a protected group under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Title VI Program), disability, Limited English Proficiency (LEP), or low-income status in the admission, access to and treatment in the Department's programs and activities, as well as the Department's hiring or employment practices. MARIE HOLDER Complaints of alleged discrimination and inquiries Member regarding the Department's nondiscrimination policies may Lorie H. Tudor, P.E., Director be directed to Joanna P. McFadden Section Head – EEO/ DBE (ADA/504/Title VI Coordinator), P. 0. Box 2261, Little Rock, AR 72203, (501)569-2298, (Voice/TTY 711), or the following email address: [email protected]. Free language assistance for Limited English Proficient individuals is available upon request. This notice is available from the ADA/504/Title VI Coordinator in large print, on audiotape and in Braille. 2 || WWW.ARDOT.GOV/MAGAZINE.ASPX www.issuu.com/ArkansasHighways CHECK OUT THE ONLINE VERSION ACCOLADES MAGAZINE SPRING 2021 FOR ARDOT ROAD CREWS CONTENTS BY DAVID NILLES FEATURES 5 ........................................Accolades For ARDOT Road Crews 18 10 ....................................................................... Interstate 430 Closure A Construction First for ARDOT 14 .....................................................................Tending Our Highways: Benefits of Selective Tree Clearing 16 ............................................................ Broadway Bridge Receives National Recognition 18 ................................... This is the Drone You’re Looking For 20 ................................................................ Keeping the Scene Clean Two snow storms in one week left more T IS NOT THAT OFTEN WE HAVE SNOW OR ICE than 20 inches on Arkansas highways. 22 ........................... Working Together For Better Highways EVENTS IN ARKANSAS. WHEN IT DOES GET ICY, IT IS 23 ............................................... Darin Laughard Shares His Love OFTEN CONFINED TO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. of Car Stereos & Racing Such was not the case the week of February 14 as the ............................................................................... I 26 Arkansas Quilt Trail 22 entire state was blanketed by snow, not once, but twice! To 28 .............................................................. ARDOT Named Winner of make matters worse, the two back-to-back storm systems that Perpetual Pavement Award swept across the country brought Arkansas and other states sub- freezing, single-digit temperatures. According to the Weather Channel, snow covered the ground DEPARTMENTS in 73.2 percent of the lower 48 states by February 16. Over 20 inches of snow blanketed Arkansas in that one-week period Director’s Message ........................... 2 making February one of the snowiest months on record. Maintenance Crews ....................... 29 Construction Corner ..................... 30 HITTING THE HIGHWAYS Dear ARDOT ........................................ 31 Winter storms such as this are what you might call “Super Bowl” days for ARDOT and its District road crews. It is a time to suit up in warm clothes, load up the equipment and hit the front lines on Arkansas’ 16,418-mile highway system. The ultimate goal is to clear the highways of snow and ice and make them safe for IN THE ➤ The Peel Ferry’s Scott Burleson motorists. ➤ Archeological Exploration in Hot Springs District One Engineer Cannon Callicott described what crews NEXT issue ➤ Rolling Through River Towns (continued on page 6) 4 || WWW.ARDOT.GOV/MAGAZINE.ASPX ARKANSAS HIGHWAYS MAGAZINE | SPRING 2021 || 5 faced during that week. and materials,” ARDOT Director Lorie Arkansas.” “The past ten days have had just Tudor shared. ON THE FRONT LINES about every combination of winter A more efficient way of tracking “In District 2, this winter weather weather condition you could imagine snowplows by using computers is also event started with the tragic loss of all rolled together – freezing being utilized. one of our beloved ARDOT family members (Turner Roark),” District rain, sleet, dry snow, wet snow, District 9 Engineer Steve Lawrence Engineer Deric Wyatt shared. exceptionally low temperatures, high reflected on ARDOT’s improved road winds, continuous operations – on clearing results. “We were able to regroup and face top of an on-going pandemic. There this challenge head-on. All of the “These improvements came as a is no way to adequately describe crews went above and beyond during result of a lot of work that has been the incredible work done by our this historic winter weather event. done in the past six to eight years by employees to beat back wave after From pretreating ahead of the storms, current employees and a lot of people wave thrown at them by these mixing and loading materials, clearing that have since retired, for whom I storms.” the highways, keeping our equipment know it was very pleasing to see that running, seven straight days of 24 YEARS OF BETTER work pay off. Snow and ice storms are hours shifts, blizzard like conditions, PREPARATION brutal on people and equipment, but I zero degree temperatures and more ARDOT has made an effort over the am very confident that we completed than 22 inches of snow in some areas, past several years to up its game when this event in a much shorter time they responded to every challenge we it comes to battling icy roadways. than it would have taken in years faced. I couldn’t be more proud to be “We have more equipment, better past. This benefits the Department, a part of this amazing ARDOT family!” equipment and good reserves of salt our employees and the people of “Our crews did a fantastic job,” ARDOT crews worked around the clock for seven straight days. A cleared Interstate 40 makes travel safer for motorists braving the District Engineer Chad Adams stated. of our public transportation system!” of State Line Avenue that is clear. The elements. “The overall effort and results in STATE AND NATIONAL Texas side is snow covered.” District Four were superb. I saw great RECOGNITION Seidel also tweeted a photo of teamwork, coordination and execution The good job clearing the roadways Interstate 49 near Mira, Louisiana, of the plan. I thank everyone for their done by ARDOT’s crews was noticed saying, “One lane at 30-35 miles per professionalism and dedication to by those outside of the Department hour. Look at the road in Arkansas, getting the work done.” as well. basically no issues! Plows, salt and In an interview on CNN, a reporter ARDOT made a big difference.” District 3 Engineer Will Cheatham shared with Governor Asa Hutchinson And from Senator Jim Hendren, also commented on the great how well Arkansas had handled the ice “Nice work ARDOT, I’ve gotten a teamwork.